Apparatus for Controlling Cable of Robot

ABSTRACT

Provided is an apparatus for controlling cables of a robot. The cable control apparatus includes: a body disposed above the arm and having a male rail formed in a length direction; a stationary unit fixed at an upper one side of the body and having a through-hole; a moving unit disposed on the male rail slidably in right and left directions and including a through-hole formed thereon and a female rail corresponding to the male rail; a cable tube for integrally housing a plurality of the cables and including one end fixed to the moving unit and the other end connected to the head through the through-hole of the stationary unit; and an elastic member externally inserted to the cable tube and including one end connected to the stationary unit and the moving unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention related to an apparatus for controlling cables ofa robot, and more particularly, to a cable control apparatus forsustaining cables of an industrial robot not to be loosen.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, an industrial robot 10 includes an arm 1 for making variousmotions and a head 2 disposed at one end of the arm for mounting varioustools as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Furthermore, the industrial robot 10includes a plurality of cables 4 disposed along the outside of the armand connected to the head in order to supply electric power or controlsignals. For example, the cables include a power cable, a control cable,and a water cable.

Although the industrial robot 10 is controlled through a plurality ofthe cables 4, the cables disturb the arm 1 4 to make certain motionsbecause the cables are disposed along the outside of the arm 1. In orderto prevent the cables 4 from disturbing the arm 1 to make motions, acable tube 3 was used. That is, the cables disposed between the arm andthe head are combined into the cable tube, and the cables are disposedalong the arm with the cable tube not to disturb the operation of therobot 10 with in an operating radius of the robot 10.

The length of the cable tube 3 of the industrial robot 10 variesaccording the motion of the head 2. When the head 2 connected to the arm1 of the industrial robot 10 is in an initial state before a rotationmotion is made as shown in FIG. 1, the cable tube 4 is strained withoutbeing loosen. When the industrial robot 1 rotates the head 2, the cabletube 3 between the arm 1 and the head 2 becomes loosen because the cabletube 3 is pulled to the head 2 as long as a radius of the rotationmotion.

When the conventional robot 10 rotates the head 2, the cable tube 3disposed between the head 2 and the arm 1 is pulled to the head 2.However, the cable tube 3 is not restored to an original state after thecable tube 3 between the head 2 and the arm 1 is pulled to the head 2.Therefore, the cable tube 3 between the head 2 and the arm 1 becomesloosen. The loosen cable tube 3 is entangled or bended when theindustrial robot 10 operates. Therefore, the cables in the entangled orbended cable tube may be damaged.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cablecontrol apparatus for preventing a plurality of cables rotatablyconnected to an arm and a head of an industrial robot from being loosennot to be entangled or bended, thereby preventing the cables from beingdamaged.

Technical Solution

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is a cablecontrol apparatus for preventing a plurality of cables, which arerotatably connected to an arm and a head of an industrial robot, frombeing loosen or damaged by the operation of the head, the cable controlapparatus including: a body disposed above the arm and having a malerail formed in a length direction; a stationary unit fixed at an upperonside of the body and having a through-hole; a moving unit disposed onthe male rail slidably in right and left directions and including athrough-hole formed thereon and a female rail corresponding to the malerail; a cable tube for integrally housing a plurality of the cables andincluding one end fixed to the moving unit and the other end connectedto the head through the through-hole of the stationary unit; and anelastic member externally inserted to the cable tube and including oneend connected to the stationary unit and the moving unit for returningthe moving unit to an original position using elastic force when thehead of the industrial robot slides the moving unit connected to thecable tube.

A rail protrusion may be formed on the male rail in a length directionand a rail groove may be formed on a bottom side of the arm rail in alength direction to be corresponding to the rail protrusion.

One or more male rails may be disposed above a bottom side of the bodyat a pre-determined distance, and the female rail may include at leastone of through-holes formed under the female rail to slidably move whilesurrounding a cross-section of the male rail.

The elastic member may be a spring.

The cable control apparatus may further include a sub stationary unitdisposed at an upper one side of the body and having a through-hole, andthe sub station unit may make a plurality of the cables to be bended inabout a ‘U’ shape after the cables pass through the stationary unit andthe moving unit straightly in order to prevent the cables from beingshaken by the operation of the head.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is acable control apparatus for preventing a plurality of cables, which arerotatably connected to an arm and a head of an industrial robot, frombeing loosen or damaged by the operation of the head, the cable controlapparatus including: a body disposed above the arm and having a malerail formed in a length direction; a stationary unit fixed at an upperonside of the body; a moving unit disposed on the male rail slidably inright and left directions and including a through-hole formed thereonand a female rail corresponding to the male rail; a cable tube forintegrally housing a plurality of the cables and including one end fixedto the moving unit and the other end connected to the head of theindustrial robot; a supporting member fixed at an upper one side of thebody and having a through-hole to allow the cable tube to pass through;and an elastic member including one end connected to the stationary unitand the moving unit for returning the moving unit to an originalposition using elastic force when the head of the industrial robotslides the moving unit connected to the cable tube.

Advantageous Effects

A cable control apparatus according to the present invention restoresdeformed loosen cables by the operation of a head, for example,entangled or bended cables, to an original state using an elasticmember. Therefore, the cables are prevented from being damaged, the lifetime of the cables extends, and a maintenance cost can be saved.

As described above, although the present invention has been describedand illustrated with reference to preferred embodiments and drawings, itshould be understood that various modifications and variations of thepresent invention can be made thereto by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and the technical scope of the presentinvention as defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of the preferredembodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGS. 1 through 3 are front views of a cable control apparatus accordingto the related art;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cable control apparatus of anindustrial robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of an industrial robot having the cable controlapparatus of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a cable control apparatus ofFIG. 4 in operation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a male rail of FIG. 4 with abrace for preventing a moving from being derailed from a mail rail;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a female rail and a mail railof FIG. 4 according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a cable control apparatus ofan industrial robot according to another embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a controller of FIG. 9 inoperation.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of the embodiments with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.

The present invention relates to a cable control apparatus forpreventing a plurality of cables rotatably connected to an arm and ahead of an industrial robot from being loosen not to be entangled orbended, thereby preventing the cables from being damaged.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cable control apparatus of anindustrial robot according to an embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 5 is a front view of an industrial robot having the cable controlapparatus of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating acable control apparatus of FIG. 4 in operation.

As shown, the cable control apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment includes a body 110, a stationary unit 120, a moving unit130, a cable tube 140, and an elastic member 150.

The body 110 is fixed above the arm 310, and a mail rail 111 is formedon the body 110 in a length direction. The body 110 supports thestationary unit 120 and the moving unit 130. A rail protrusion 112 maybe formed on the mail rail 111 of the body 110 in a length direction.

The stationary unit 120 is fixed at one side of the body 110 to beadjacent to one end of the mail rail 111. The stationary unit 120includes a through-hole 121 for allowing a cable tube 140 to passthrough.

The moving unit 130 is disposed on the mail rail 111 slidably in leftand right directions. The moving unit 130 includes a through-hole 131formed thereon and a female rail 132 formed thereunder corresponding tothe mail rail 111.

A rail groove 133 is formed on a bottom side of the female rail 132 in alength direction to be corresponding to the rail protrusion 112 of themale rail 111. The rail groove 133 enables the moving unit 130 to slidealong the male rail 111.

The cable tube 140 is a pipe shaped member for integrally housing aplurality of the cables 141. The cable tube 140 includes one end fixedat the moving unit 130 and the other end connected to the head 320 ofthe industrial robot 300 after passing through the through-hole 121 ofthe stationary unit 120.

The elastic member 150 is externally inserted to the cable tube 140 andincludes one end fixed to the stationary unit 120 and the other endfixed to the moving unit 130. The elastic member 150 returns the movingunit 130 to an original position using elastic force although the movingunit 130 connected to the cable tube 140 slides when the head 320 moves.

It is preferable that the elastic member 150 may be a spring havingelastic force.

As the head 320 of the industrial robot 300 operates, the cable tube 140is pulled toward the head 320. Then, the pulling power of the cable tube140 contracts the elastic member 150 and the contracted elastic member150 slides the moving unit 130 connected to the cable tube 140 as shownin FIG. 6. As the head 320 returns to an original position, thecontracted elastic member 150 is released to an original state. Then,the moving unit 130 also returns to an original position as shown inFIG. 4. That is, the cable control apparatus according to the presentembodiment sustains the cable tube 140 and the cables 141 not to beentangled or bended.

As described above, the cable control apparatus 100 according to thepresent embodiment returns the cables which are entangled or bended bythe operation of the head 320 to the original state using the elasticmember 150. Therefore, the cables 141 are prevented from being damaged,the life time of the cables extends, and a maintenance cost can besaved.

The cable control apparatus 100 according to the present embodimentfurther includes a sub stationary unit 160.

The sub stationary unit 160 is installed at an upper one side of thebody 110 and includes a through-hole 161. The sub stationary unit 160bends the cables in about a ‘U’ shape after the cables 141 passstraightly through the stationary unit 120 and the moving 130. That is,the sub stationary unit 160 prevents the cables 141 from being shaken bythe operation of the head 320.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a male rail of FIG. 4 with abrace for preventing a moving from being derailed from a mail rail.

The brace 113 is fixed at an upper one side of the body 110 to preventthe moving unit 130 from being derailed from the mail rail 111.

The brace 113 can be fixed to the body 110 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, orthe brace 113 can be movable disposed, that is, selectively fixed at aplurality of guide grooves 114 formed on the male rail 111 of the body110.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a female rail and a mail railof FIG. 4 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, one or more male rails 111 can be disposed above the bottomside of the body 110 at a predetermined distance. At least one of thefemale rails 132 can be formed to have a predetermined shapecorresponding to the cross-section of the male rail 111 in order toenable the female rail 132 slides along the male rail 11 whilesurrounding the cross-section of the male rail 111.

The shape of the male rail 111's cross-section may be a circle as shownin FIG. 8. However, the cross-section shape is not limited thereto. Theshape of the cross-section may vary to various shapes such as a polygon,a circle, and a shape combined with a polygon and a circle.

When single male rail 111 is disposed on the body 110, it is preferablethat the cross-section of the male rail 111 has other shapes except acircle to prevent the moving unit 130 having the female rail 132 frombeing leaned toward one side.

Hereinafter, a cable control apparatus of an industrial robot accordingto another embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating acable control apparatus of an industrial robot according to anotherembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a perspective viewillustrating a controller of FIG. 9 in operation.

As shown, the cable control apparatus 200 according to anotherembodiment includes a body 110, a stationary unit 220, a moving unit130, a cable tube 140, a supporting member 260, and an elastic member250.

The body 110 is disposed above the arm 310, and the body 110 includes amale rail 111 formed thereon in a length direction. The body 110supports the stationary unit 220, the moving unit 130 and the supportingmember 260. A rail protrusion 112 is formed on the male rail 111 in alength direction.

The stationary unit 220 is fixed at an upper one side of the body 110,and one end of the stationary unit 220 is fixed at the stationary unit220.

The moving unit 130 is disposed at on the male rail 111 slidably inright and left directions. The moving unit 130 includes a through-hole131 for allowing the cables 141 to pass through and a female rail 132formed thereunder to be corresponding to the male rail 111.

The rail groove 133 is formed on the bottom side of the female rail 132to be corresponding to the rail protrusion 112 of the male rail 111. Therail groove 133 enables the moving unit 130 to slide on the male rail111.

The cable tube 140 is a pipe shaped member for warping a plurality ofcables. The cable tube 140 includes one end fixed to the moving unit 130and the other end connected to the head 320 of the industrial robot 300after passing through the supporting member 260 fixed at the moving unit130.

The supporting member 260 is fixed at the upper one side of the body 110and includes a through-hole 261 for allowing the cable tube 140 to passthrough.

The elastic member 250 includes one end fixed to the stationary unit 220and the other end fixed to the moving unit 130. The elastic member 250returns the moving unit 130 to an original position using elastic forcealthough the moving unit 130 connected to the cable tube 140 slides whenthe head 320 moves. It is preferable that the elastic member 150 may bea spring having elastic force.

As the head 320 of the industrial robot 300 operates, the cable tube 140is pulled toward the head 320. Then, the pulling power of the cable tube140 extends the elastic member 150 and the extended elastic member 150slides the moving unit 130 connected to the cable tube 140 as shown inFIG. 10. As the head 320 returns to an original position, the elasticmember 250 is contracted to an original state. Then, the moving unit 130also returns to an original position as shown in FIG. 9. That is, thecable control apparatus according to another embodiment sustains thecable tube 140 and the cables 141 not to be entangled or bended.

As described above, the cable control apparatus 200 according to anotherembodiment returns the cables 141 which are entangled or bended by theoperation of the head 320 to the original state using the elastic member150. Therefore, the cables 141 are prevented from being damaged, thelife time of the cables extends, and a maintenance cost can be saved.

The cable control apparatus of an industrial robot according to anotherembodiment further includes a sub stationary unit 160 for preventing thecables 141 from begin shaken by the operation of the head 320.

The male rail and the female rail shown in FIG. 8 can be identicallyapplied to the cable control apparatus 200 according to anotherembodiment.

Hereinafter, the operation of cable control apparatuses 100 and 200according to embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 4 to 10.

The cable control apparatus 100 or 200 is housed in a predetermined case(not shown) and disposed above the arm 310 of the robot 300 as shown inFIG. 5. Also, one end of the cable tube 140 warping a plurality ofcables is connected to the head 320.

When the robot 300 rotates the head 320, the head pulls the elasticmember 150 or 250. The pulling power contracts or extends the elasticmember 150 or 250 and the extended or contracted elastic member 150 or250 slides the moving unit 130. Therefore, the moving unit 130 sustainsthe cable tube 140 not to be entangled or bended while the robotperforms a predetermined operation.

When the head 320 returns to an initial position, the pulling forceapplied to the cable tube 140 is disappeared. Accordingly, thecontracted or expanded elastic member 150 or 250 extends or contracts tothe original state by the elastic force and the moving unit 130 returnsto the original position. Therefore, the cable tube 140 and the cable141 can be sustained not to be entangled or bended or return to theoriginal position without being entangled or bended.

While the present invention has been described with respect to certainpreferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

1. A cable control apparatus for preventing a plurality of cables, whichare rotatably connected to an arm and a head of an industrial robot,from being loosen or damaged by the operation of the head, the cablecontrol apparatus comprising: a body disposed above the arm and having amale rail formed in a length direction; a stationary unit fixed at anupper onside of the body and having a through-hole; a moving unitdisposed on the male rail slidably in right and left directions andincluding a through-hole formed thereon and a female rail correspondingto the male rail; a cable tube for integrally housing a plurality of thecables and including one end fixed to the moving unit and the other endconnected to the head through the through-hole of the stationary unit;and an elastic member externally inserted to the cable tube andincluding one end connected to the stationary unit and the moving unitfor returning the moving unit to an original position using elasticforce when the head of the industrial robot slides the moving unitconnected to the cable tube.
 2. The cable control apparatus of claim 1,wherein a rail protrusion is formed on the male rail in a lengthdirection and a rail groove is formed on a bottom side of the arm railin a length direction to be corresponding to the rail protrusion.
 3. Thecable control apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more male rails aredisposed above a bottom side of the body at a predetermined distance,and the female rail includes at least one of through-holes formed underthe female rail to slidably move while surrounding a cross-section ofthe male rail.
 4. The cable control apparatus of claim 1, wherein theelastic member is a spring.
 5. The cable control apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a sub stationary unit disposed at an upper one sideof the body and having a through-hole, wherein the sub station unitmakes a plurality of the cables to be bended in about a ‘U’ shape afterthe cables pass through the stationary unit and the moving unitstraightly in order to prevent the cables from being shaken by theoperation of the head.
 6. A cable control apparatus for preventing aplurality of cables, which are rotatably connected to an arm and a headof an industrial robot, from being loosen or damaged by the operation ofthe head, the cable control apparatus comprising: a body disposed abovethe arm and having a male rail formed in a length direction; astationary unit fixed at an upper onside of the body; a moving unitdisposed on the male rail slidably in right and left directions andincluding a through-hole formed thereon and a female rail correspondingto the male rail; a cable tube for integrally housing a plurality of thecables and including one end fixed to the moving unit and the other endconnected to the head of the industrial robot; a supporting member fixedat an upper one side of the body and having a through-hole to allow thecable tube to pass through; and an elastic member including one endconnected to the stationary unit and the moving unit for returning themoving unit to an original position using elastic force when the head ofthe industrial robot slides the moving unit connected to the cable tube.